This truly thrilling modern circus show from the Canadian-based troupe was as
nail-biting as it was beautiful, writes Rachel Ward.

Picture this: a man scales a pole then free-falls down headfirst, stopping inches before the ground; another balances precariously on top of a tower of wooden chairs stacked like blocks in a game of Tetris; and a bicycle-rider bunny hops over an audience member lying nervously on the stage floor. These were just some of the moments of thrilling derring-do from the Canadian-based circus troupe as they opened a 17-day run atLondon’s Sadler’s Wells.

With neither a big top nor a freaky clown in sight, Cirque Éloize’s famed iD spectacle, which has been running since 2009, is an eye-popping display of contemporary circus acts fused with frenetic urban dance and graphically staged theatre.

Director Jeannot Painchaud has created a refreshingly modern world based on the influences of comic books, sci-fi movies and graffiti art. His vision is a futuristic city where individuality is expressed through talent - a West Side Story theme, with two gangs confronting each other, cleverly brought to life the multi-disciplinary antics of the 15-strong troupe. Painchaud walked a fine line between keeping the audience on the edge of their seats and the well-being of his performers (no safety nets were used during the making of this show).

A throbbing electronica and hip-hop soundtrack accompanied video projections of neon signs, traffic and multi-level skyscrapers. At first it seemed like there might be a strong narrative to the show - it opens with a feisty female troublemaker and a geeky office worker meeting on a busy city street. All around them commuters in suits scurry to their jobs. Some climb physical corporate ladders, others just spin on their heads. As she taunts and teases him, he chases her and pulls her close, refusing to let go until their bodies intertwine as they engage in a mesmerising hand-balancing routine.

But if this was a love story then it failed to connect to the other sections of the show. Not that this really mattered, as one breathtaking spectacle followed another. The mind-boggling contortions of the long-legged and vivacious Emi Vauthey, who bent herself in half like a hairpin and put her limbs in places that they were never meant to go, received plenty of gasps from the audience, as did her incredible display of agility on the aerial silks as inline skater Xuan Le worked alongside her. A playful juggler fired tennis balls against a clear plastic board, catching and returning each one in quick succession with frenetic delight. A knowing wink as he dropped one of them brought a welcome intimacy between the audience and artist.

The most remarkable part of this dangerously beautiful spectacle, however, was the jaw-dropping ‘trampowall’ finale, in which the whole youthful ensemble simultaneously ping-ponged between a trampoline and a wall, popping in and out of hidden doors and windows via cunningly placed landing stages. If you’re looking for an adrenaline kick (and can handle all the sweaty-palmed anxiety) then you need to see this transporting show.